Losing it or Bust

well... this is embarassing!

2011-04-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Alright well i believe my last post was sometime in February of last year, so instead of trying to catch up, i'd rather like to start over. i've reviewed my goals, finding them mostly intact, same goes for my plan of action, glad i could re-read my plan to remind myself of everything i should be doing.

as i have taken the last year-ish to have a sweet baby girl, and am now declaring myself fit to resume my regular activities i have renewed energy to jump in head first and LOOSE IT OR BUST!

i am happy to announce that due to some hormone/metabolism miracle that occurs while i am pregnant i am currently down about 25 lbs from my highest pre-pregnancy weight!!! YAY!!! i am bound and determined to see that number continue to decline and absolutely refuse to watch it rise again. there, i'm committed.

to track my progress, today i did a few 'just dance'-es with the kids this morning and it is so nice outside i might do a couple laps around the neighborhood as well. i procured a decent stroller for the baby so i have no excuses not to do it!

Yes I'm a slacker....

2010-02-24T20:17:00.000-08:00

Sorry friends...my apparently unchangeable behavior of inconsistency has reared its ugly head again. Sadly, lack of communication is generally a sign of a lack of measurable effort on my part. I struggle to reach my exercise goals as i still haven't found my pillates movie, and its still to cold most days to be outside. Poor excuses, but excuses nonetheless...

I'll try to do better. I long for the spring and the ability to get the bikes out from under the mounds of boxes in my garage...hint hint Dave if you ever read this blog.... I did take a walk with the kids the other day when it was a little warm, can't wait to do it every day! Hopefully more news soon....

Quote of the Day

2010-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, I just found the quote of the day, I can't stop giggling....lol....no really....I can;t stop....HELP!

Stress Relievers in Everyday Life

2010-01-31T07:47:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been suffering from some abnormal mood changes, as well as some other physical issues. After talking with my doctor about the effects of different medicines I have decided to take a more wholistic approach to my problems, as the medicine would interfere with some of my greater goals. So I have been researching ways to lift my mood, and help me deal with stress.

This morning I turned to a long time friend- Rodale's Encyclopedia of Natural Home Remedies. My mom always turned to this book any time we were sick as kids and the methods were tried before we ever saw a doctor. When I left home to go to school she found another copy online and bought it for me to take with me. I LOVE this book. It has remedies for anything from warts to heart disease.

Today I am reading the section on stress. What I find the most interesting, is that many of the remedies are similar to the Heart Healthy habits in the last post! I would like to share some excerpts with you.

What Causes Stress?

The book explains that many different negative event can build up and cause us stress, I'm sure we all know what causes US stress, but it also points out that seemingly positive events, such as marriage, or having a baby, or throwing a party, can also be contributors to our stress level.

We're all People who Need People-

...Such widespread joining behavior is hardly an accident. And it isn't just that we need to join, rather, joining makes us feel good. Call it sharing, belonging, companionship, love or just a feeling of identity...what it comes down to is that the frustration and travail of life are a whole lot easier to bear when you aren't doing it alone...

...Scientist feel that being part of a group- whether its as intimate as marriage or as public as an ethnic community, can make a critical difference between health and illness

"Young rats deprived of rat pals can loose up to 10% of their brain size. If you put old rats, the equivalent of a 65 yr old human, in with young rats, their brains actually grow!" Robert Ornstein, Ph. D.

"Loving and nurturing may be as important as being loved and nurtured."

Good Times and Good Health go Together

So what about it? Have you been getting your fair share of laughs lately? I don't mean a few quick ones at work, but a good, long session of face-reddening jollity that makes you forget all about work and your other cares, too. If you are then congratulate yourself on making good use of a wonderful remedy for stress. If you aren't....well don't start worrying about it, but take some time to think about how you can raise those vital "serum fun levels".

Now at this point in time I would like to recount my latest "good long session of face-reddening jollity." Just saying that makes me want to laugh...

The other night my cousin Karyn and I went out for some girl time, and on the way home we decided to stop at Wendy's for some food. Now by this time we had already made a trip to the DI where we enjoyed several good laughs over various clothing items, particularly denim and tassels (we actually found an entire outfit in different parts of the store including a skirt, a vest, and a shirt), so we were in a pretty good mood. But when we pulled up to the talking box thingy Karyn realized her window wouldn't roll down, so she had to order through the open door. It was pretty funny, but then we pulled up to the window and realized she would also have to pay and get the food with her door open which just seemed rather hysterical.

When the lady handed us our bags at the next window she asked if we wanted ketchup and I completely lost it. I could tell you my thought process but it wouldn't make any sense anyway, needless to say I was laughing so hard I couldn't talk, so in spite the dirty looks from the lady at the window Karyn got some ketchup through the open door and we left. Upon hitting the higway the window rolled down.

Weeping Wailing and Moaning....Your to Enjoy

Enough of this frivolity! It's time for a good cry.

No seriously, that the next section in the book. William Frey II, Ph.D. says "My theory is that emotional stress builds up toxic substances in the body, and that crying helps remove them from the body." Likewise, "The suppression of crying, which is often learned in this society, leads the individual to inhibit all the other emotions he feels when he is hurt, such as fear, anxiety and anger," Robert Plutchik...

There are a few more sections that i haven't finished reading, and as this post is in serious danger of becoming its own entity, I am going to stop, but here are the titles of the rest. 'Hobbies and Crafts Build a Shield against Stress', "Let Your Emotions Out- through Your Pores' (exercise), and 'Tune up Your Spirits with Music'. If you would like to read any more of this section I would be happy to let you come over and read it, or copy it for you. I will not lend my book, as I may never get it back, and I love it too much to loose it!

Signing off.....(I don't know, it just seemed appropriate...)

Tips for a Healthy Heart

2010-01-30T20:41:00.000-08:00

I picked up the February edition of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Inside were some great tips for a healthier heart, and since its (almost in a couple days) February and thus Valentines Day, we could all buff up our hearts a little. Here are some of my favorites:

1- Twice daily meditation sessions increase blood vessel dilation by 21%.
2-Napping 20 min, 3 times a week will lessen your likelihood of dying of heart disease.
3- Holding hands slows your heart rate by 5 beats per minute, reducing stress.
4- DROP TEN POUNDS and thwart the likelihood of develpoing type 2 diabetes and related heart complications. Yay me!
5- 30 point difference in blood pressure between those who are lonely and those who are not- so make a new friend!

The Good News Or The Bad

2010-01-30T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well the bad news is I have been a little bit bad at some of my goals. The whole curfew thing has been blown out the window this week. And along with those late nights has come the breaking of my no snacking after 8 rule.

On the up side I have been impressed with my own ability to follow the eating LESS rule. I find that amazingly I am actually FULL after only half as much food, and even then sometimes I don't eat everything I put on my plate.

One of the biggest hurdles that I think most Americans probably have to leap, is getting over the mindset that we HAVE to eat all our food. It was ground into our brains as children and, I don't know about you, but we got in trouble if we didn't eat our food. Now in the days when we have eyes bigger than our tummy's, and are fed consistently larger portions at restaurants, we forget that we don't actually have to eat it all.

Somewhere once I read that if you go out to eat, ask for a to go box when they bring your meal, and immediately place half your meal in it. Then eat whats left, you'll be surprised that you are actually full, especially if you filled up on bread, chips or other appetizers. And BONUS!!! You now have lunch for tomorrow!

Tip #2

2010-01-24T12:23:00.000-08:00

It would seem, that in the event that you are trying to loose weight... having some way to weigh yourself would seem in order. NOTE TO SELF: Get a Scale!

Tips for the Future

2010-01-22T20:19:00.000-08:00

Ok here is... my first bit of insight. When you create for yourself a rule not to eat at night don't let your husband turn on "the best thing I ever Ate" on food network...in fact, just ban food network all together!

Day One

2010-01-22T20:02:00.000-08:00

Ok I confess, I ate an orange.... it was a small one... just now, I ate it and as you will see by the timing of my post I broke my own no eating after eight rule. Good thing they're my rules and I can break them if I want. At least I didn't break down and eat all of Tailan's birthday cake sitting in the freezer waiting to be decorated...yay me.

Good Morning to You!

2010-01-22T07:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess it's a continuation of the morning anyway. I would like to report that thanks to our ab workout yesterday, I could not sit up to get out of bed... My three year old came into my room and saw me laying there, and I don't know how he could tell, but he said "hee mom, me puu yous up" and he did, sort of.

Now I am going to eat a complete breakfast of raisin bran (half a bowl), and an orange.

In the Beginning...

2010-01-22T00:17:00.001-08:00

Today, or rather... no I guess it is today, since it's one in the morning, is the start of my journey. At the moment I am thinking I will give myself a curfew and force myself to stick to it in spite of my eagerness to create new blogs in the middle of the night. I'm pretty sure a good nights sleep is a must for being healthy... I will try to back that up with something factual...maybe tomorrow. Goodnight.